Shipping box brace



Jim; 12, 1937.

A. D. PEISTER SHIPPING BOX BRAGE Filed Jan. 31, 1936 1w HUM i PatentedJan. 12, 1937 ATE SHIPPING BOX BRACE Application January 31, 1936,Serial No. 61,703

4 Claims.

This invention relates to braces for shipping cases and has particularreference to shipping cases used for packing or enclosing automobilebodies for overseas shipments. The introduction of the steel or turrettop in modern automotive practice presented certain difliculties inconnection with the shipping cases heretofore used. In the shippingcases used prior to the introduction of the turret top there was acertain amount of resiliency in the top of the case and when pressurefrom above was applied there was a limited amount of bending to theshipping case. However, where the top was of a fabric or flexiblematerial it also yielded and when the pressure was removed the topresprung into place. Where a turret top is used and a sudden pressure isapplied to the shipping case, the slight .amount of yielding will causethe case to push in the top and form a dent. The top will not respringinto place when the pressure has been removed, and it was thereforenecessary to devise some sort of a case which will prevent damage to themetal tops. One way of accomplishing this was to increase the height 5of the shipping case but this increased the room or space taken by theshipping case and necessarily increased the shipping charges for thereason that size is important in overseas shipments.

In the course of investigations which were 30 made to improve theshipping facilities it was found that by the use of a bracket such as isdisclosed in the present invention the 2 x 4s or 4 x 4s extending acrossthe top of the case could be so reinforced from the sides of the boxthat there would be very little yield to the top when the usualpressures encountered are applied. Accordingly, after some tests andexperiment it was found that a bracket which could be attached to thetop and sides of the case, and extend inwardly of the case the maximumdistance allowed by the available space when the automobile body was inthe case, would so reinforce the shipping case top that the bending ofthe case top would be so slight that it would not injure the metal topof the automobile body. As a result of the invention it was thereforenot necessary to increase the size of the shipping case and thereforeobviated the increase in the shipping costs.

The bracket of the invention is preferably made of a single sheet ofmetal and is of general triangular configuration. At two sides of thetriangle it has flattened portions which abut against the upright andtransverse 2x4s or 4x4s of the shipping case, and lateral flanges at theedges of the flattened portions abut against the adjacent side of theupright and transverse members. Where the parts abut against the 2x4they are suitably fastened in place as by nails. A third flange at thethird side of the triangle reinforces and strengthens the construction.Pref.- erably, the apex of the triangle is cut away to facilitateinstallation.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shipping case with parts broken awayshowing the installation of the bracket of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional detail of the shipping case with thebracket installed.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an edge view of the bracket.

Figure 5 is a view of the structure of Figures 1 and 2 but with thebracket applied where there is no vertical member but there is ahorizontal member.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of brace.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 2 indicates a shipping case as awhole. The shipping case comprises the vertical or upright frame members4 and the horizontal members 6. The bottom has the usual longitudinalmembers 8 and the transverse horizontal members it, while the top hasthe transverse horizontal members E2. The usual paper or other suitableenclosure [4 is placed over the frame members and the usual boards Itare nailed to the frame. Suitable metal straps l8 are used to strengthenthe construction.

The brace of the invention is indicated as a whole at 20, and, as bestshown in Figure 2, is generally of triangular shape. The apex of thetriangle is cut away as indicated at 22 to facilitate installation forthe reason that there usually is a horizontal member 24 which would bein the way if the triangle were complete.

At two edges of the triangle the braces are provided with the flatbent-away portions 26 which are adapted to abut against the inside ofthe bracing members such as 4 and I2. The lateral flat portions 26 areat right angles to each other. At the end of the flat portions 26 thestrengthening flanges 28 and 30 are formed. These flanges extend atright angles to the flattened portions 28 and are adapted to abutagainst the sides of r the frame members 4 and l 2. The flattenedportions 26 and flanges 28 and 38 may be provided with suitableopenings, and nails or other fastening means 33 driven into the wood tohold the brace in place.

An additional strengthening flange 32 is provided at the third edge ofthe triangle and extends from one flattened portion 26 to the other.

Each flange 28 and 30 is provided with saw cuts 34 to enable theapplication of the brace to positions where, for example, no verticalupright 4 coincides with the transverse top brace l2. As best shown inFigure 5 in such instances there usually is a horizontal brace 6, and bystraightening the end portion 36 of the flange 30, for example, theportion 36 may be nailed to the horizontal member 6 as shown.

In Figure 6 there is shown a modified form of brace in which the apex isnot cut away and instead of a single cut 34 a plurality of saw cuts 34is provided. Additionally, the brace 20' has the reinforcing rib asshown. The flange 32' is formed on an are instead ofbeing straight asshown in Figure 2. This will give some additional room at the edge ofthe brace.

By referring to Figure 1, Where the braces are applied at the middle itwill be apparent that the transverse member l2 of the top is reinforcedand strengthened for a considerable distance away from the sides of thecase. This reinforcing by the brackets 20 has been found to be ample toprotect the metal top from damage from pressure due to excessive loadson the top of the box.

I claim:

1. In a bracket for a. shipping container, edge portions at right anglesto each other and adapted to abut against the insides of the container,strengthening flanges on the edge portions, said flanges having 'sawcuts therein, andan additional strengthening flange extending betweenthe edge portions.

2. In a triangular bracket for a shipping container, flat edge portionsat right angles to each other on two sides of the triangle, the apex ofthe triangle being cut away to facilitate installation of the bracket,strengthening flanges on the flat edge portions, the strengtheningflanges on the flat edge portions having cuts'therein to enable thebending of a portion" of the flange into the same plane or in a planeparallel to the flat edge portion, and an edge strengthening flange onthe third side of the triangle.

3. In a bracket for a shipping container, said bracket comprising a flatsheet of'a single thickness of metal, edge portions bent from the sheetat right angles to each other and adapted to abut against the insides ofthe container, flat strengthening flanges on the edge portions bent atright angles thereto, and an additional strengthening flange extendingbetween the edge portions at the edge of the sheet.

4. In a triangular bracket for a shipping container, said bracketcomprising a flat sheet of a. single thickness of metal, flat edgeportions bent from the sheet at right angles to each other on two sidesof the triangle, the apex of the triangle being cut away to facilitateinstallation of the bracket, flat strengthening flanges on the flat edgeportions bent at right angles thereto, and an edge strengthening flangeon the third side of the triangle at the edge of the sheet.

ALPHA .D. PEISTER.

